If asked what warm season weather event causes the most fatalities, most people in Midwest will answer tornados. If this same question is asked along the Gulf or East Coast, most individuals answer hurricanes. But neither answer is correct, in fact, tornados and hurricanes rank third and fourth respectively in the average annual weather related deaths in the United States.
As with all statistics, each year the rankings may change, but on average, flooding typically causes more human fatalities than both tornados and hurricanes with lightning ranking second. Tragically, the flooding associated with the heavy rain in the past week in Tennessee and Kentucky is blamed in the deaths of at least 22 people. Most of the deaths were from individuals drowning in their cars and that sadly is the most common cause of death in floods.
An important phrase we all need to remember when we come upon water on the road is to “turn around, don’t drown” as you never can be sure how deep the water may be.